Terminal connector for spark-plugs.



C. W. BECK. TERMINAL CONNECTOR FOB SPARK PLUGS.

Patente@ lAug. 25, 1914.

APPLICATION FILEDl AUG. 15, 1910.

CHARLES BECK, OF ROCKVILLE i BIEN-TS, T0 MCHGAN MOTB SPI. CRPRATION QF IVICHIGAN.

IGNOR, MESNE SEIGN- E EE'ROIT, MICEIGAN,

TERMAL CNNECTOR FR, SPARK-'FLYG Application of Fig. 2.

In the use nf the ordinary spark plug contermin@ Whether m not the plug iS sparking properly. I( is u coxrxmon practice tu disconnect one terminal wirf: from the plug und hdd the ml thereof cloe tu the lathe? term-uml wim, 01* to (he other pormn of' thi;

i) DVO" carried i The outer end. of `this Sockc l and 10 1y cylinder of a muti- 'nguw may be mit c by ultial'ruptmg Ts block shown. in the. draw 'ings :1s cynd 'cn but it wil, of Course, be. anders-mod Unai it may ba 0f any (lesied Shape En cross secion. gidly connected iu tlm out@ and Gif @his x'xuzltng base is a. {si-rmzm haak fawn-@ with the. externaxy 'hcad socket T wlnn which the arid 0f h@ iussxxlznng bww is rigidly seaux-@Sad snakt. ming m19, electrmde of the con mxfoi. Rigdly 25e-cured io thfe other Qnduf the insuntng is a 'cimductur Qr el@ :frode This Comluctor is in the' form of a Rong tube m sod-:ei which :xfipted .il its outer end o receive the 5.1mm 0nd of 'ne insulating baSe. said being rigidly im 'mue in said soskat.. Said Socke: Spl fmgud-naly u?, iis inne? end to render If. expzmsb; audit sprovd with the. inwardly extending Eug/3 naar its inner emi.

is formed wn sparking' point 10 which extends tow'af 'Ehe socket of thv terminal, hook, a. Lap k being formed between Said spar-king it W'H Off comme being provided with an annular groove 12 in which the lugs are adapted to lit and lock said plug` within the socket. The conductor wire extends longitudinally through the plug and is rigidly and permanently locked thereto by means of solder i3 which is poured into a recess 14 Yformed in the end ot' the plug, shown clearly in Fig.' 2.' The plug is formed with an enlarged inner end 15 which adapted to lreceive a port-ion of the insulation oiv the terminal wire and to torni the shoulder lliadapted tocontact' with the inner edge of the socket, shown clearly in Fig. 2.

To bridge the space or gap betweenthe socket 7 and thesocket 8, l provide a sleeve 1T which is' internally threaded for a portion of this length to adapt it to be engaged with the external threads of the socket 7. When said sleeve is so engaged it forms a means tor bridging the gap between the two sockets and to electrically connect them together. The two sockets lorm two sepa-` rated electrodes ot the connector, and the sleeve 1T forms a l'aidging piece or switch for connecting said two electrodes together electrically, whereby the electric current may readily (low Yfrom one electrode to the other7 and to the terminal of the spark plug. B v unscrewing the sleeve until it is detached from the electrode T of the connector hook, the two members ol" the connector will be electrically disconnected and insulated from each other. and a spark will jump across the gap between the sparking point 10 and the inner edge ot the electrode 7. By this means it may be read ily determined Whether the spark plug is sparking properly. The shoulder 16 forms a stop for the inner end ot' the' sleeve 1T said shoulder being so placed and the bridging sleeve 17 being so proportioned that ample room will be provided to permit this disconnection of said sleeve from the socket T and the inward movement of the sleeve to uncover thel space between the two sockets or electrodes of the connector. Secured to the bridging. sleeve 1T is an outer sleeve 18. This outer sleeve is preferably of insulating material so that it ma be readily grasped at any time for/tle'purpose of turning the sleeve 17 either for connecting the terminal with or disconnecting it Yfrom a spark plug. This insulating' Sleeve protects the sleeve 17 and all ofthe other parts ot the connector, and at the same time gircs a. smooth pleasing and durable finish to the device T he bridging sleeve `17 isvof such length that it may be screwed forwardly or outwardly on the socket T to bring the forward or outer edge thereof in contact with the spark plug terminal button or binding post, as indicated in Fig. 1'

and in dotted lines in. Fig. Q to not only lock the terminal to the spark plug but to assist in making a complete and satisfactory' electrical connect-ion between the. terminal Wire and the spark plug. ltwill therefore be seen that l provide a terminal connector ot simple construction by means of which it may be readily ascertained whether or not the plug is sparking properly. The insulating and protecting sleeve 1i8 is ot' special advantage for the reason that it protects the operator i" rom elect-ric shocks which are very disagreeable.

To electrically connect the terminal wire to a battery terminal or binding post I secure a hook 19 to the terminal wire and formsaid hook with an external threaded socket 2O similar to socket Y oil the hook 6. On this socket is threaded a locking sleeve 21 whose outer end 21 is adapted to contact with the battery binding post or terminal, as Shown clearlylin Fig. 1, and in dotted lines in Fig; 4. to lock the hook to said ter-' minal lpost, y It is manifest that the hook cannot be disengaged from the'post without first' withdrawing the locking sleeve.

Vheneyerit is desired to cut, out a cylin der or render a cylinder inoperative by interrupting the sparking circuit, the terminal lwire with its attached plug may be disconnectedfrom the socket 8 by a' sharp outward longitudinal pull onv said wire. It is manifest that it may be readily connected to the g5 socket by forcing it therein until the lugs 9 snap into the groove 12 and thereby restore the connection. ;Irhe two sockets r(and 8 form two contact"`p`lates or electrodes Which are secured to the insulating base 5, and

are separated from each other a sufficient distance to prevent the jumpingo'f the electric Vcurrent across said 'space except at the oint 10. It is manifest that the sleeve 1T orms a bridge or switch Yfor electrically connecting the two contact plates -or electrodes sothat electric current may readily flow from theterminal wire to' the spark plug. By unscrewing the bridging sleeve it may be withdrawn to expose .the sparking point so that it may be observed whether or` not the plug is sparking properly.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a terminal connector the combina# tion with/an insulating base,1 fixed electrode g j said electrodes and bridging tli`e-space besleeve dapted to engn-ge'the threaded electrede anti to bridge the space between said electrodes, means for connecting one of said electrocles to n "spe-rk "plug tinnriiniii,-find` means for eonneeting theotlxer-eleetroe to Y eterniinal'wir In a terminal Connector the'eon-ibina.- tion with en insulating block enbase, electrodes In'ountedon sn-id bese end'hnving n st irice-betvx-'een tlien'i one of said electrodes having :1. projecting-simiking point extending toward the other electrode, and tubular movable means for bridging the space lne- Vtween the electrodes and inelosing the spa-rking point, said ineens being adapted to open and close the circuit hetweensiiid electrodes.

"In a terminal connector the ce1nbination with anY insulating ba'se, fixed electrodes nioiinted on said base and lia-ving a space between them one of said eleetrodes being adapted to be connected-to ii spark plug terminal, means for connecting the other electrede to :i terminal wire, and a. longitudi V'nelly movnbie Sleeve for bridging the gap between said electrodes sind Sleeve in'its bridging position being :idepted to Contact gwith the spark plug terminal to lock the 'electrode thereto.'

In a' terminalV connector the combina- "tion with en insulating liaise, electrodes; mounted on said oase i-nd ,having :i space between them, av longitudinally movable sleeve for. electric-:illy bridging seid spa-ce and thereby closing the circuit between said electrodes. A A

7. In a terminal. connector the combinzition with an insulating base, electrodes mounted on said onse and having a space lietween them one of `.ln'iid electrodes having e projecting sparking point extending toward the other electrode wlw-elw spark across the space 'ill tekeplaee et Suid extended point, n longitudinally movable sleeve for bridging said space between the 'eleetroles and closing the eireuitbetween tiiem.

8. In e. terminal connector the combinetion of an insulating linee, two electrodesv connected thereto end spaced apart, one of said electrodes being provided with means forconneeting it to a spark plug terminal the other being orined with n socket, e ter- ,minal wire, e plug connected to said wire.

and adapted to fit the electrode socket one". of s aid electrodes being externally threaded5"l electrodes; S.

Velertrorles :uid nrlnpt ai tl'irefiflieci bridging Sleeve 'fled electrode between the tweicl slr-ere l ng adapted .in its: en to cnntnct with spark to lock' the eieel'irode thereto. i conniicor tlie combina- :in internally adapted to engage and to l;

bridging posi plug terminal Si. 1n :i ter mounted on sind linee und lin-ringe space between (lr-sin one (si: Suid electrodes being externnlly tlirenjlecl, 1 socket 'formed on one of ,seid elw.' wales, zin interiinlly tlirenrlei'l bridging sleeve adapted to ez-ig'uge the threzirled electrode und to bridge the space between 'die zi' tern'iinnl wire-gn ping f fonner.-fk wire infl :uzlnpted to fit the electra sY :incl nn insulating and protecting sleeve carried by the bridging ele-eye. Y

l0. In zi txrniinel eonnector the Combina-A tion with :in insulating buse, fined electrodes mounted oir Seial linee nml having :xl spare Abetween them, movable moans 'for iur-losing snii'l elertrodes :uid lnii'lging the Space lieiween them, said means; serving to electricall eormrct. said electrodes logtlier, menne for ci'innefgting -one of seid electrodes t0n spark plug terminal, means to Connect the otherelectrode to n terminal wire, and en operatingslceve of insulating material connected to Suid 1mm-able menne and inclosing nucl protecting the means for Conner-.ting the electrodes te tlie terminal wire. v

11, l'n a terminal connector, the Combina-- tion with :in insulating base, electrodes mounted on eiifl buse unil having n spark gzip between them, nl longitudinally movable sleeve for electrically liriilging said spzu're and thereby cloning tlm rirvuit lielween -sziirl electrodes, :i tern'iinal wire, nic-.ane for deta-clizibly connecting the 'wire to o ne of the elC-etrofles and en fqiei'iil'ing sleeve oi inslilating material nri'ierl livr l'lie movable sleeve and incloeing the comiertion between 'tlle wire and the electrodes.

1Q. ln ferzniniil connector, the Combination with nn insulating lmse. eleeirofjlrs mounted on sziirl base and having :i Space lie-- tween them. one ol said electrodos living adapted to be renner-toil to n spark ping terminal, n loiqituflinally movable sleeve for eleetricnllj. liriiilging the szpsmo beim-'een the (o liv brought into Contact with i'lie Sprk plug terminal, llieieby eloeing the circuit between lw. eleetrodee and locking one of the eleetroiles lo the spurl: plug terminal.

tion of :in insinlzitx'ig linee, iixegl electrodes 13. In n terminal connector, the von'ibinai space between said electrodes Iand edifpted to mol-'e outwardly over the means for engaging lthe spark plug terminal to lock said fineans to the terminal.

14. A terminal ,connector comprising a' `5 contact part adapted to -be connected to a spark plug terminal, a contact' partadapted to be connected tota terminal wire, a rota- -'table operating Sleeve of insulating material ixiclo'sing said Contact parts 'andmeans vwhereby the rotation'of said eleeveinv one direction will open :L spark gap between the ."'cont-u-ct parts und whereby-its rotationrin the opposite direction will close said gap between said parts. y ,i g

15. A terminal connector comprising a contact part adapted to be connected to va spark plug terminal, a contact part adapted to be connectedtov a terminal wire, means for supporting said contact' parts with' a .29 sparkgap between them,- a'sleeve of insulating Ill-Atel'ial inclosingfsaid contact. parts and rotatable Vmeans for opening and cloning the s'parkgap rbetween said Contact parte.

16. A iernii'nal connector comprising a/ Contact partadaptcd t0. be cem'wcted to /t 25 spark plugvterminal, a contact ps1-rt adapted to be connected to a terminalwvire, ins ilating means between and supportingcontact parts, a rotating device of i] ulating material and means whereby.uponthe rotation of said device, the spark/gap between the contact parts may be opened or closed In testimony whereof Lhereunto ax my Signature in the presence .of tw'o witnesses this 4th day of August, 1910.

i ,CHARLES '.IBECIQ Witnesses:

WM. R. DAvls, A. E. IErrnnson. 

